If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

If you registered recently and can not get in you may have to register again. We had to delete some users that were awaiting confirmation when we upgrade the software on June 1, 2011.

Thanks for you understanding.

New Users:Please read: As a new user you will be able to post but there are some limitations. Depending on your behavior and participation level you will soon become a fully registered user. Please hang in there and understand that this is needed to keep out spammers.

Making Civil War items

Just joined the site. I have always been interested in Civil War History and also have been a avid woodworker. Just bought AJ Hamler's book on Civil War Woodworking and made the field desk. What fun. Made it out of oak vs. pine or basswood which would probably have been more period correct. I was pleased on how it came out. Would attach a picture but haven't quite figured that out yet. Would be interested in talking to other civil war woodworkers.

Welcome aboard. There is a good small group of avid CW woodworkers on here, so I know you'll be able to strike up some conversations and share tips on period-correct wood items (the sky is the limit). As a Junior Member, you are unable to post images or post on the buy-sell-trade folders until made a full member (a minimum number of approved posts will get you there). You're already a step ahead by obtaining Mr. Hamler's book (he's a member here who posts occasionally).

Would like info on making items

I would love to have the book.A lot of my equipment is 15 years old.I always buy quality but time is taking its toll.Current prices are high and I have noticed some of the products are not great quality in materials as well as workmanship.I have done my own repairs as needed and this has extended the life span of my tables,chairs,storage boxes ect ect...What I have noticed most is the Sutlers seem to be making or buying things made with lighter materials.While this may be great for saving weight,the stuff tends not to hold up more than a couple of seasons.Anyhow,when the book is available on making your own,I would love to purchase a copy.

Don't worry about substituting oak for pine. That project as presented in the book was to convert a hardtack crate into a field desk, and as such it would have been made with pine or basswood if it was truly converted from a hardtack crate. But there's no reason at all that a field desk wouldn't have been made to about the same size as a hardtack crate (which is about average size when it comes to field desks; some were bigger, some smaller), and made out of any wood species available to the builder.

I'll look forward to when you can post some images!

BTW to you and everyone else, my deadline to turn CWW-II in to my publisher is this Friday, and I'm feverishly working to hit my deadline for the new book. Some great projects in it, if I do say so myself.